I'm on the rose e-mail list for Gethsemane Gardens because even though they're now quite a hike from our house, I love them. And it's time for rose reservations, so I've put mine in. I think three Moondance and three Zephrine Drouhin have survived from last year, though they've been pruned all the way back. They're leafing out nicely now. I'm hoping ZD will be as shade-tolerant as promised; I'd like to use it as a climber on my front porch, which is definitely only part-sun. I'm sort of worried about it, though, because while it grew a few feet last summer, it hardly bloomed at all. Maybe it'll do better this year. The Moondance are for the little rose garden I'm planning to put in the sunniest spot of my front yard, the southeast corner, where it intersects the side yard. (I love the big trees that line the streets in Oak Park, but they do cast a lot of shade into my front yard!)
I'm planning add to that rose garden a William Shakespeare (because, y'know, I have to have him). I'm mostly going to try to keep the rose garden in pinks / whites / purples / reds in front of the arbor gate, I think. And then allow the peaches and creams and oranges and yellow behind the gate. :-) A rose garden in two parts. The second half will have a Christopher Marlowe (perhaps my favorite rose currently, pictured right) and a Just Joey (which I first saw in Jed's garden, and which makes me think of him, even though it's a totally different color in my climate). Then I'm going to try a Tess of the D'urbervilles along with the Zephrine Drouhin on the porch -- it's supposed to be somewhat shade tolerant too, so hopefully at least of one of the two will climb and flower there. On the back pergola, I'm hoping to grow Joseph's Coat, another favorite of mine. I love the roses that change colors; they seem so happy.
Along the northern fence in front, I'm thinking I'll try a Rosa Woods, a wild rose that's hardy and light shade-tolerant. It'd be nice to camouflage some of that unattractive fence in roses, and although the blooms on this are unassuming, I kind of think these are the perfect roses, in a way. The ones that would just survive and spread without intervention. A Perpetual White Moss might end up against our rather hideous garage. And I'm not sure where to put the Darlow's Enigma (rambler), but possibly on the arbor itself. White seems like it'd make a nice transition from front to back colors, and the name is sort of science-mystery-ish which makes me think of Kevin. :-) Are there any mathematician-named roses? And do you think I need two of them, one to plant on each side of the gate?
I would ideally like to buy three of everything, but budget is tight, so one of everything instead. If they do well, then perhaps they can be joined by some companions in future years.
Roses roses roses!